The Revelation of St. John the Divine

⭑ Catholic Public Domain :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 19 -

After these things, I heard something like the voice of many multitudes in heaven, saying: “Alleluia! Praise and glory and power is for our God.(a)

For true and just are his judgments, he who has judged the great harlot that corrupted the earth by her prostitution. And he has vindicated the blood of his servants from her hands.”

And again, they said: “Alleluia! For her smoke ascends forever and ever.”

And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, sitting upon the throne, saying: “Amen! Alleluia!”

And a voice went out from the throne, saying: “Express praise to our God, all you his servants, and you who fear him, small and great.”

The Marriage of the Lamb

And I heard something like the voice of a great multitude, and like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of great thunders, saying: “Alleluia! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, has reigned.

Let us be glad and exult. And let us give glory to him. For the marriage feast of the Lamb has arrived, and his wife has prepared herself.”

And it was granted to her that she should cover herself with fine linen, splendid and white. For the fine linen is the justifications of the Saints.

And he said to me: “Write: Blessed are those who have been called to the wedding feast of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These words of God are true.”

And I fell down before his feet, to adore him. And he said to me: “Be careful not to do so. I am your fellow servant, and I am among your brothers, who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Adore God. For the testimony of Jesus is a spirit of prophecy.”(b)

The Rider on the White Horse

And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And he who was sitting upon it was called Faithful and True. And with justice does he judge and fight.

And his eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, having a name written, which no one knows except himself.

And he was clothed with a vestment sprinkled with blood. And his name is called: THE WORD OF GOD.

And the armies that are in heaven were following him on white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

And from his mouth proceeded a sharp two-edged sword, so that with it he may strike the nations. And he shall rule them with an iron rod. And he treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.

And he has on his garment and on his thigh written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

Defeat of the Beast and False Prophet

And I saw a certain Angel, standing in the sun. And he cried out with a great voice, saying to all the birds that were flying through the midst of the sky, “Come and gather together for the great supper of God,

so that you may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of tribunes, and the flesh of the strong, and the flesh of horses and those sitting on them, and the flesh of all: free and servant, small and great.”

And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies, having been gathered together to do battle against him who was sitting upon the horse, and against his army.

And the beast was apprehended, and with him the false prophetess, who in his presence caused the signs, by which she seduced those who accepted the character of the beast and who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the pool of fire burning with sulphur.

And the others were slain by the sword that proceeds from the mouth of him who was sitting upon the horse. And all the birds were sated with their flesh.

Footnotes

(a)19:1 The phrasing ‘Alleluia: Laus,’ was corrected according to the 1590 edition of the Vulgate, from the phrasing: ‘Alleluia: Salus.’(Conte)

(b)19:10 I fell down before, etc:St. Augustine (lib. 20, contra Faust, c. 21) is of opinion, that this angel appeared in so glorious a manner, that St. John took him to be God; and therefore would have given him divine honour had not the angel stopped him, by telling him he was but his fellow servant. St. Gregory (Hom. 8, in Evang.) rather thinks that the veneration offered by St. John, was not divine honour, or indeed any other than what might lawfully be given; but was nevertheless refused by the angel, in consideration of the dignity to which our human nature had been raised, by the incarnation of the Son of God, and the dignity of St. John, an apostle, prophet, and martyr.(Challoner)

After these things I heard something like a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Hallelujah! Salvation, power, and glory belong to our God;

for his judgments are true and righteous. For he has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her sexual immorality, and he has avenged the blood of his servants at her hand.”

A second said, “Hallelujah! Her smoke goes up forever and ever.”

The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sits on the throne, saying, “Amen! Hallelujah!”

A voice came from the throne, saying, “Give praise to our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, the small and the great!”

The Marriage of the Lamb

I heard something like the voice of a great multitude, and like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of mighty thunders, saying, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns!

Let’s rejoice and be exceedingly glad, and let’s give the glory to him. For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his wife has made herself ready.”

It was given to her that she would array herself in bright, pure, fine linen, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.

He said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb.’” He said to me, “These are true words of God.”

I fell down before his feet to worship him. He said to me, “Look! Don’t do it! I am a fellow bondservant with you and with your brothers who hold the testimony of Jesus. Worship God, for the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy.”

The Rider on the White Horse

I saw the heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it is called Faithful and True. In righteousness he judges and makes war.

His eyes are a flame of fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has names written and a name written which no one knows but he himself.

He is clothed in a garment sprinkled with blood. His name is called “The Word of God.”

The armies which are in heaven, clothed in white, pure, fine linen, followed him on white horses.

Out of his mouth proceeds a sharp, double-edged sword that with it he should strike the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod.(a) He treads the wine press of the fierceness of the wrath of God, the Almighty.

He has on his garment and on his thigh a name written, “KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.”

Defeat of the Beast and False Prophet

I saw an angel standing in the sun. He cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the sky, “Come! Be gathered together to the great supper of God,(b)

that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, small and great.”

I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him who sat on the horse and against his army.

The beast was taken, and with him the false prophet who worked the signs in his sight, with which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur.

The rest were killed with the sword of him who sat on the horse, the sword which came out of his mouth. So all the birds were filled with their flesh.

Footnotes

(a)19:15 ℘ Psalms 2:9

(b)19:17 TR reads “supper of the great God” instead of “great supper of God”